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Author Topic: No more return-exchange on Strong switchers John T. Hendrickson, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 889 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-24-2009 10:04 AM                     Had a 2-3K switcher go this past week. We called our dealer for a RA number, and guess what? We were told Strong is no longer doing repair/exchanges. Now we will have to send the unit for repair, and then they will ship it back to us. This basically sucks. We have only ten screens equipped with Highlighter II consoles, eight with 2K-3K, and two 4K. So, we keep a spare of each. So, what happens now if we get another failure while the spare is out for repair? We're screwed. To add insult to injury, our dealer told our Managing Director that Strong is bypassing dealers on bids for new equipment, contacting the buyer directly if they do not chose Strong equipment and offering lower prices direct. If this is true, then that sucks, too. Our equipment was manufactured in 1999, and we have had at least six power supplies go. Too bad we didn't know then what we know now. In doing a search, I've noted that we're not alone when it comes to doing business with Strong. John C. Arbuckle was right when he said: "you get what you pay for".  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-24-2009 10:42 AM                       John, with a failure rate of one in almost every two years, it's not likely you'll lose another one at the same time one is out for repair. [rant on] I work for Strong, and they have been an exceptionally good employer. Further, I am justifiably proud to be associated with a company that has such a rich, pioneering history in this business. They've also invested a lot of time and money into training me and others for Digital Cinema work, making us better technicians and more efficient, and I will stay here for as long as they will have me. Not that you are guilty of this, John, but it hurts me to hear the badmouthing and the childish name-calling of my company by some on this forum... the company that has treated me so well and with such respect for the past 2 1/2 years. There has been a lot of transitioning of late, first with integrating Strong Technical Services, and now with the shifting future of the Digital Cinema paradigm. Times are getting tight right now, everywhere. With 35mm sales and installations diminishing in general, the repair/return policy is likely a cost-saving measure and much better than the alternative. [/rant off] DISCLAIMER!!! IMPORTANT! While I am a happy employee of Ballantyne/Strong... I do NOT speak on behalf of the company. Neither am I an official administrative representative!! Actually, they have a policy against employees posting in industry forums, yet they have kindly made an exception for me because I have not heretofore taken a stance in these matters, and because of my long history here.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-24-2009 12:11 PM                     Ok, here goes for a shameless plug... Or... You can send it to us for repair and save about 40% over what Strong charges... Our switcher repairs have yet to ever fail... over a couple hundred repaired. Fast turn around and if you personally bring it to SLC for repair yourself you can enjoy some fantastic skiing while you wait for your repair! And best yet... we will do repair/exchanges on some models for those that have good standing accounts with us.. Mark  |  IP: Logged John T. Hendrickson, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 889 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-24-2009 01:33 PM                     Thanks, Mark. Agree with the skiing, as I was in Park City along with our managing director on vacation last February. Tim, I am sure you do a great job with Strong and I respect your opinions on this forum. I am simply telling things as they are. I had one of our 4K supplies go out the Christmas before last. Put in the spare, and that one went bad, too! I ended up changing out the collet and ran a 3000K bulb on the remaining spare 2-3K supply. Light was for shit. It was either that or lose our second biggest house for the holidays. By the way, we didn't get any units back from Strong for several weeks, so you can see why I'm not pleased with the most recent developments. As for the comments by our dealer concerning Strong, I am only relating things as they were told to our Managing Director. I grew up with Strong equipment, Supers and XL's. I can only tell you that my experiences with Strong equipment ain't like the old days.  |  IP: Logged Ky Boyd Hey I'm #23 Posts: 314 From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-24-2009 01:38 PM                       Tim, while its lovely that you are a happy, well treated Strong employee, it doesn't change a fundamental fact that Strong has a history of problems with their 2k-3k suitcase switchers. Having been in the situation about a year ago of having our back-up switcher fail two days out of the box, I can fully understand John's frustration. And since Strong no longer repairs older switchers, as a theatre you end up with boat anchors that you have to dispose of. Being a good employer isn't an excuse for product design and quality control issues. Mark, good to know that your company has an alternative. Can you send me some details? I have a couple of dead Strong switchers along with my working back-ups.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 01-24-2009 01:47 PM                     We must be lucky then for I've got 12 screens that run the old "black suitcase" 1 to 2.5k switchers sitting inside X90 consoles that are pushing 20 years old that are the ones that are non-repairable - the "001" series.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-24-2009 01:57 PM                     Tim, While some of your concerns are definitely valid, this was the wrong thread to voice them. John, and end user, was relating a person experience at the hands of Strong. It isn't really a debatable thing...this is what happened, this is feelings...Strong is losing a once solid Strong customer through either real or imagined reasons....it is really that simple. Now Strong can justify it by any means they want...that is their perogative. However, if enough Johns out there feel the same way, Strong runs the risk of losing all of their customer base. Of all of the threads to choose to make your rant...this probably wasn't the best one...there are others with childish comments that would be more fitting and may convey better meaning. Steve  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-24-2009 02:34 PM                        The solution is simple: 1. procure one spare so you can send in the bad one for repair. or 2. Buy any suitable reliable rectifier and put it in your best house. The old one is now the spare or 3. repeat as necessary until the switchers are gone! Louis  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-24-2009 02:44 PM                     So, err, why is this policy change in Strong's interest? --jhawk  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 01-24-2009 03:48 PM                     Maybe it wasn't the right place to vent frustration, but I can understand reading your employer getting trashed unrelentingly on the forums and that does start to annoy one after so long. My employer "built the tacky theatres of the 90s". No company is perfect. I would hazard a guess that Strong is looking to phase out obsolete technology, or what could become obsolete in a few years.  |  IP: Logged John T. Hendrickson, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 889 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-24-2009 04:42 PM                     Obsolete technology? After 10 years??? I beg to differ. What is my owner supposed to do? Rip out power supplies from ten consoles and go with something else? You purchase equipment in good faith. You are making a long term investment. Of course nothing lasts forever, but you should expect product support. It's not that we are unwilling to pay for repairs. We just do not want to get caught with our pants down and have a theater go dark because we are at the mercy of a supplier.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-24-2009 04:52 PM                        If you think 10 year obsolesence is bad, try Digital TV! Remember, they are not refusing to repair, they are only refusing to advance a replacement. Louis  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 01-24-2009 05:00 PM                     quote: James Westbrook I would hazard a guess that Strong is looking to phase out obsolete technology, or what could become obsolete in a few years. Since when are switching power supplies and Xenon arc lamps considered "obsolete technology"? Strong (and I'm refraining from my favorite pet names for them out of respect for Tim) has had a LONG history of piss-poor customer service and bad attitude when they're called on their mistakes. To whit: I ordered two projectors for a big-name celebrity screening room. On the purchase order, and on the packing list with the machines, it was clearly indicated that the soundheads are to have take-up kits installed (at $400 EACH for a lousy extra groove pulley for the roundthane). Guess what? Not only did they arrive without the kits installed (or even thrown into the crate so I could install them myself) but they fought me for over a week before they finally sent the kits!! Oh, and BOTH of the 1014 heads that they claimed were "run-in at the factory" were so tight I couldn't turn them over!! I had to open the back door and re-adjust the vertical drive assembly to get them to run smooth. On one of my last jobs I went through THREE of their 2k switchers!! First one died within an hour of operation, the second one WOULDN'T SHUT OFF even with the control leads COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED!! The third one works..so far. To Strong's credit, and in the interest of fairness, they DID ship the two exchange supplies UPS 3 day select. Sadly though, this was a rare exception in good customer service from them. If I were to outline all the issues I'd had with them over the last several years, I would need two posts of a full forum page each. [ 01-25-2009, 02:13 AM: Message edited by: Tony Bandiera Jr ]  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-24-2009 05:10 PM                     quote: John T. Hendrickson, Jr You purchase equipment in good faith. You are making a long term investment. Yes, and the couple of models of Strong switchers from the late 70's/early 80's that can't(and shouldn't)be repaired are both a fire hazard and have obsolete semis in them. Customers have sent us a few of these to repair over the years and even though we can get the semis for them the boards are a fire hazard and I won't fix em either because of that. I can't think of anything D-Cinema that obsolete to the point that it can't be utilized for something... even the old 1.3K projectors have a use... ok, there may be a few obscure servers... I'll grant you that. I really think its time for Louis to get with it or retire... even IREM makes switchers, and some dam good ones too... for both film and D-Cinema use. Switchers will be taking over completely from brute force rectifiers over the next 10 years weather it be film or D-Cinema...oh and as far as TV goes Louis he would be much smarter to start converting to that medium since thats all there will be for mainstream theaters at the end of a recently shortened path thanks to Paramount. There certainly won't be room for any backwards thinkers in this industry in the very near future. Mark  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-24-2009 06:24 PM                     I certainly don't mean to bash Strong, but Tony: UPS 3-day Select is good customer service? Umm, not over here it's not. And in this industry that uses next-flight out shipments as frequently as it does. (I'm spoiled. Our FedEx discount is such that FedEx priority overnight is less than a dollar more than FedEx Express Saver (3-day). After all, if it goes on a plane, it's not as if it is in the carriers' interest to warehouse other people's stuff). --jhawk  |  IP: Logged

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